MANAGING DISRUPTIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

PREVENTION STRATEGIES, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND EMERGENCY MEASURES

Dr. Frank Babcock Dean of Student Services Dale Mabry Campus August 2004

CATEGORIES OF STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

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DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

  REBELLIOUS EMOTIONAL •

INTIMIDATING OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE PROFESSOR

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CLASSROOM BULLIES

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ABERRANT OR IMMATURE BEHAVIOR

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

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DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS

 ARRIVING LATE  EATING OR DRINKING  TALKING ON CELL PHONES  BRINGING CHILDREN TO CLASS

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

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DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS

 CONDUCTING SIDE CONVERSATIONS  OFFENSIVE COMMENTS TO INSTRUCTOR OR OTHER STUDENTS  MAKING IMPUDENT REMARKS  CONSISTENTLY DISAGREEING

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STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR INTIMIDATING OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS TOWARD THE PROFESSOR

 DEFIANT POSTURING  OBSCENE GESTURES  HOSTILE ARGUING  CHALLENGING  MENACING PHYSICAL POSTURING  INTIMIDATING STATEMENTS TOWARD THE INSTRUCTOR

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

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CLASSROOM BULLIES

 HIJACKING THE CLASS  RUDE  INSULTING  UNCIVIL  IRRITATING BEHAVIOR TOWARDS CLASSMATES  INTERFERING WITH TEACHING AND LEARNING

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

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ABERRANT OR IMMATURE BEHAVIOR

 ACTING IN A BIZARRE MANNER  ACTING SPACED OUT  UNDER CHEMICAL INFLUENCE  ENGAGING IN EXHIBITIONISM  EMOTIONAL RESPONSES  MAKING IRRATIONAL, INAPPROPRIATE, UNRELATED STATEMENTS

POSSIBLE CAUSES

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STUDENTS OFTEN ENTER COLLEGE WITH A “CONSUMER MENTALITY”

 PURCHASING A COMMODITY  DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY  DEMAND COURSES BE TAUGHT ON THEIR TERMS •

STUDENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR BEHAVIOR HAS NO BEARING ON THEIR FUTURE SUCCESS

POSSIBLE CAUSES

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STUDENTS BRING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL BEHAVIOR TO COLLEGE

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STUDENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN CONFRONTED BY THEIR INSTRUCTORS FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

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STUDENTS RESORT TO INTIMIDATION TO RELIEVE STRESS

POSSIBLE CAUSES

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UNDERPREPARED STUDENTS

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STUDENTS HAVE BLURRED PERCEPTIONS OF BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND COLLEGE FACULTY/STAFF

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MANY FACULTY AVOID EXPLICIT RULES TO AVOID LOOKING TOO RIGID

POSSIBLE CAUSES

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COLLEGE EDUCATION HAS BECOME A MEANS TO AN END IN IT SELF

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HIGH TECH WORLD MAY RESULT IN STUDENTS WITH MORE LIMITED SOCIAL SKILLS

THE MILLENNIAL FACTOR

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STUDENTS ENTER COLLEGE WITH MORE EXPOSURE TO ADULT WORLD THAN PREVIOUS GENERATION

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STUDENTS RECEIVE EXPOSURE TO VAST LEVEL OF INFORMATIONAL ACTIVITY

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STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY

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MORE STUDENTS ARE WORKING PART TIME

THE MILLENNIAL FACTOR

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STUDENTS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY

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STUDENTS HAVE AMBITIOUS CAREER ASPIRATIONS BUT UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS

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STUDENTS AWARE OF THE RULES BUT SEEK TO FIND WAYS AROUND THEM “CHEATING IS OK IF YOU DO NOT GET CAUGHT”

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

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PROVIDE A CLEAR SET OF RULES

 PHONES AND BEEPERS OFF  NO LEAVING CLASS FOR CALLS  NO BATHROOM BREAKS  NO SIDE CONVERSATIONS  NO SLEEPING

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

 QUESTIONS TO BE DIRECTED TOWARD THE INSTRUCTOR  NO READING UNRELATED MATERIALS  TAKE ATTENDANCE AND LEARN STUDENT NAMES  NO USE OF LAPTOPS EXCEPT FOR COURSE WORK  PROVIDE RULES BOTH VERBALLY AND IN WRITING

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

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SERVE AS A ROLE MODEL FOR THE CONDUCT YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR STUDENTS

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START CLASS ON TIME

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END CLASS ON TIME

EARLY INTERVENTION

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DO NOT DEAL WITH STUDENTS WHEN YOU ARE EMOTIONAL

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DO NOT DEAL WITH STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE EMOTIONAL

EARLY INTERVENTION

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INTERVENE EARLY

 PRACTICE GOOD COMMUNICATION  SPEAK WITH STUDENT IN PRIVATE AFTER CLASS TO DISCONTINUE DISRUPTIONS  BE SPECIFIC ABOUT CONCERNS

EARLY INTERVENTION

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INTERVENE EARLY

 FOCUS ON HOW BEHAVIORS AFFECT YOU AND OTHER STUDENTS  PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS OR DIRECTIVES  CONSIDER A DIFFERENT SEAT

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS

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RAMBLING

 REFOCUS ATTENTION BY RESTATING RELEVANT POINTS  RE-DIRECT QUESTIONS TO THE CLASS  ASK HOW TOPIC RELATES TO THE CURRENT TOPIC  “Would you summarize your main point please?”

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

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SHYNESS OR SILENCE

 CHANGE TEACHING STRATEGIES FROM GROUP DISCUSSIONS TO WRITTEN EXERCISES  PROVIDE STRONG REINFORCEMENT FOR ANY CONTRIBUTION  INVOLVE DIRECTLY BY ASKING A QUESTION  MAKE EYE CONTACT

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

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TALKATIVENESS

 ACKNOWLEDGE COMMENTS MADE  GIVE LIMITED TIME TO EXPRESS VIEWPOINTS AND THEN MOVE ON  MAKE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PERSON  PROVIDE ATTENTION AFTER CLASS OR DURING BREAKS  “THAT’S AN INTERESTING POINT. LET’S SEE WHAT OTHERS THINK!”

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

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SHARPSHOOTING

 ADMIT THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER AND REDIRECT THE QUESTION TO THE GROUP OR THE PERSON ASKING  ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A JOINT LEARNING EXPERIENCE  IGNORE THE BEHAVIOR

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

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HECKLING/ARGUING

 REDIRECT QUESTION TO GROUP OR SUPPORTIVE INDVIDUALS  RECOGNIZE PARTICIPANT’S FEELINGS AND MOVE ON  ACKNOWLEDGE POSITIVE POINTS  “IT LOOKS LIKE WE DISAGREE”

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTON

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OVERT HOSTILITY

 REMAIN CALM AND POLITE  KEEP YOUR TEMPER IN CHECK  DON’T DISAGREE, BUT BUILD ON OR AROUND WHAT IS SAID  MOVE CLOSER TO THE PERSON, MAINTAINING EYE CONTACT  TALK TO HIM/HER PRIVATELY  IGNORE BEHAVIOR  ASK HIM/HER TO LEAVE

Student Code of Conduct and Classroom Behavior

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

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PROHIBITED CONDUCT

 CAUSING PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM  INTERFERING WITH NORMAL COLLEGE ACTIVITIES  VERBAL OR PHYSICAL DISRUPTION OF TEACHING  INTERFERING WITH THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

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PROHIBITED CONDUCT

 FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTION OF COLLEGE OFFICALS  ALL FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY  LEWD, INDECENT, OR OBSCENE CONDUCT, FACE TO FACE USE OF FIGHTING WORDS, AND/OR PROFANE EXPRESSIONS

NEXT STEPS

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YOU MAY REDIRECT DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS’ OFFICE

 INFORM STUDENT HE/SHE CANNOT RETURN TO CLASS WITHOUT A LETTER FROM THE DEAN  PROMPTLY INFORM THE DEAN OF THE ISSUES, SO THAT DEAN IS PREPARED TO SPEAK WITH STUDENT

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

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CALL SECURITY FOR ASSISTANCE 253-7911

 SECURITY WILL COME TO ESCORT STUDENT FROM CLASS  STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS BROUGHT TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS’ OFFICE  COMMUNICATE WITH DEAN OF STUDENT SERVICES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED  DEAN OF STUDENT SERVICES WILL COMMUNICATE WITH THE FACULTY REGARDING RETURN TO CLASS

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QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

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